Removable closure for ventilating openings in house foundations



Feb. 4, 1958 L. ALLABAUGH' 2,821,895

REMOVABLE CLOSURE FOR VENTILATING OPENINGS IN HOUSE FOUNDATIONS FiledFeb. s, 1956 Zazzi-sAZZaZazgyk I NVENTOR 1 BY 1 I ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent REMOVABLE CLOSURE FOR VENTILATING OPENINGS IN HOUSEFOUNDATIONS Louis Allabaugh, San Francisco, Calif.

Application February 3, 1956, Serial No. 563,302

1 Claim. (CI. 98-29) This invention relates to closure construction,designed for closing the usual screened ventilating openings in thefoundations of buildings, when it becomes necessary to close off suchopenings to prevent cold air from blowing through the ventilatingopenings and circulating under the floor chilling the floor of suchbuildings.

An important object of the invention is to provide a closure embodying aplate of this character which may be positioned over the usual screenedventilating opening with such a close fit with the edges of said openingas to exclude cold air around the edges of the closure plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide spring pressed hooks forremovably securing the closure plate in position within the opening bydrawing the plate into close contact with the screen normally closingthe opening.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined in theappended claim.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental elevational view illustrating a closure plate,constructed in accordance with the invention, as positioned over thescreened opening of a foundation ventilating system.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view illustrating theconstruction of the securing hooks that secure the plate of the closureto the screened opening.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a section of a foundation equippedwith a ventilating opening to be closed by a plate forming the subjectmatter of the present invention, is indicated by the reference character5, the ventilating opening being covered by the wire mesh materialindicated at 6, which in the present showing, has its marginal edgeembedded in the foundation. However it is to be understood that thisscreen or wire mesh material may be supplied with a frame so that it maybe fitted in the ventilating opening should it be desired to mount thescreen in this manner.

The closure forming the subject matter of the present invention embodiesa plate 7 which has its marginal edges curved inwardly at 8 andlaterally at 9, the plate being of a size to closely fit within theopening with the marginal edges of the plate contacting with the edgesor walls of the opening.

The plate 7 is held in position on the wire mesh ma- 2,821,895 PatentedFeb. 4, 1958 terial or screen 6 by means of hooks 10, the hooks havingcross bars 11 formed on one of the respective ends thereof, providing afinger grip for eifecting operation of said hooks.

The hooked ends 12 are of such construction that they may be extendedbetween the wires of the wire mesh material 6 to secure the hooked endsto the wire mesh material 6 or screen, as better shown by Fig. 3 of thedrawing.

A coiled spring indicated by the reference character 13 circles theshank of each hook, the outer ends of the coiled springs contacting thecross bars of the hooks, while the inner ends of the springs restagainst the outer surface of the plate 7, thereby biasing the hooks 10outwardly and causing the hooked ends 12 to securely fasten themselvesbetween the mesh of the wire mesh material or screen 6.

It will of course be understood that the plate 7 is provided withopenings 14 arranged adjacent to the corners of the plate 7, throughwhich the shanks of the hooks 10 extend.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shownand described, the hooked ends 12 may be threaded between the wires ofthe mesh of the wire mesh material 6 and released, whereupon the springs13 of the hooks will tend to bias the hooks outwardly causing them tosecurely fasten themselves within the wire mesh.

When it is desired to remove the closure, the hooks may be forcedinwardly against the tension of the springs 13 releasing the hooked ends12 from the wire mesh material, allowing the hooks to be slightlyrotated and pulled through the mesh releasing the hooks and permittingthe closure to be removed.

Because of the construction of the hooks, it will be seen that the hooksare a part of the plate 7 and will be retained on the plate at alltimes, eliminating any possibility of the hooks becoming disconnectedand ac cidentally displaced.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A closure for closing a screened ventilating opening, comprising aclosure plate, the marginal edges of said closure plate being curvedinwardly and laterally, providing spacing flanges adapted to be fittedagainst a ventilator screen adjacent to the edges thereof, spacing theclosure plate from said screen, said plate having openings adjacent theouter edges thereof, and hooks supported through the openings of saidplate adapted to be hooked into the mesh of said screen, removablysecuring said closure to said screen and closing said ventilatingopening, said books including a shank, a spring about said shank and across bar fixed to the outer end of said shank.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,047,510 Johnson July 14, 1936 2,130,811 Nelson Sept. 20, 19382,245,931 Meyer June 17, 1941 2,328,288 Merrill Aug. 31, 1943 2,690,798Hamlin Oct. 5, 1951

